Somewhere nearby is colossal cave, where it is rumored that others have found fortunes in treasure and gold. Magic, too, is said to work in the cave. But beware! Some who enter are never seen again...

Colossal Cave: The Board Game is an adaptation of the classic text adventure "Colossal Cave Adventure". The basic game mechanism is "draw one, play one"; there is also a game board depicting a simplified map of the cave (14 rooms). Cards represent items, treasures, actions, and "reactions"; you're generally not allowed to play an item or treasure card unless your player token is in a specific room on the map. For example, the Rare Coins are not playable anywhere except in the Hall of the Mountain King. After you play a treasure, you must get it safely back to the surface, where you can deposit it in the Well House.

The winner is the first player to deposit three treasures in the Well House. Depending on the number of players and their willingness to stymie each other from the beginning, a game can last anywhere from 20 to 90 minutes.